(Radio Iowa) – U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says Iowa may be a destination for U-S-D-A jobs being moved out of Washington D-C. “We are working to save billions of dollars to most of the headquarters of USDA out of Washington and closer to the people. The first round of announcements included North Carolina, Colorado, Utah, Missouri, and Indianapolis,” Rollins said. “No Iowa, but there are more announcements coming.”

Rollins says there are a lot of U-S-D-A employees in Iowa already. The U-S-D-A has “Service Centers” in Iowa’s 99 counties for the operations of the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resource Conservation Service and U-S-D-A Rural Development. Ames is home to the National Centers for Animal Health, a 523-acre campus with 93 buildings. About 90 percent of U-S-D-A employees work in offices around the country. About 46-hundred are currently based in Washington.

“Listen, I love the USDA buildings in Washington. They are beautiful. They are right on the National Mall. It’s inspiring to walk up every day, but but do we really need three massive buildings for USDA on the National Mall?” Rollins asks. “One of the buildings has 6000 offices and only about 800 to 900 people actually come to work there on a good day.”

U-S Ag Sec Brooke Rollins with Atlantic’s Glen Smith on her right. Smith was announced as Rollins’ nominee as USDA Undersecretary of Rural Development. (Radio Iowa photo)

Rollins made her comments during a news conference at the Iowa State Fair, where (As KJAN reported Saturday) she announced President Trump is nominating Glen Smith of Atlantic to serve as U-S-D-A Undersecretary of Rural Development. “Glen served as chairman of the Farm Credit Administration during President Trump’s first term and will continue to be an incredible leader and a resolute voice for farmers here in Iowa and across the country in this new role.”

(As KJAN also reported) Rollins also announced the U-S-D-A is making a 152 MILLION dollar investment in 19 rural development projects in Iowa.”This unprecedented, coordinated rural development project will help boost the rural economies, develop rural infrastructure and encourage private investments,” Rollins said.

The Guthrie County Hospital is getting a 37-million dollar U-S-D-A loan to expand and renovate the facility. Four Rural Electric Coops are getting U-S-D-A loans for projects. U-S-D-A grants are going to 11 Iowa cities and two rural water systems to improve wastewater and drinking water utilities. And Halbur, a Carroll County town with about 230 residents, is getting half a million dollar loan from the U-S-D-A for street improvements.